Suds box



March 6, 1934.

H. c. RIGGS ET AL SUDS BOX Filed Feb. 8, 1932 Patented M... s. 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ass s rs,

by directand mesne assignments, to Rodney Hunt Machine C mpa y. Oranre. Massachusetts a corporation of Applicaiion February 8, 1932, Serial No. 591.488

This invention relates to' a suds-box for cloth washing machines in which the cloth is passed through the machine in the form of a continuous rope.

The principal objects of this invention are to provide a construction of suds-box which will effect a saving in the washing time by reason of the fact-that it is water-tight and thus will prevent the contamination of the water in the tub; to provide a construction in which the drain of the suds-box into the sewer will be free from any seal between two pieces of wood or other soft material that would be likely to hold strings, dirt, flock and the like and will be absolutely clear at all times when it is open and in which there are no grates or rods inside the box to accumulate dirt, rust, flock or strings and also to provide for consumption of less water in the entire washing operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a side transverse sectional view of a scouring tub with a preferred embodiment of this invention applied to the suds-box therein showing the suds-box closed; I

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the suds-box open to allow drain back into the tub, and

Fig. 3 is an end view partly in section showing the operation of the draining of the suds-box into the sewer.

The old style washing machine is provided with a suds-box which, of courseghas to be closed during the soaping, and also the rinsing processes, so that the soapy water squeezed out of the goods as they pus between the main rolls will drop back directly into the tub and contaminate it. During the rinsing process the drains or gates are closed and the clear fresh water usually at a temperature of 110 F. is introduced into the machine, usually at a point between the surface of the water in the tub and the nip of the rolls. As the goods pass through the nip, this clear rinsing water carrying with it soap and dirt previously loosened, is squeezed out of the fabric. This water is caught by the suds-box and drained out into the sewer. The eiiiciency of this suds-box uncle: the rolls directly determines the efficiency (if the rinsing process because the rinsing process is lengthened by the fact that much of the dirty water squeezed out is simply returned to the tub. The old style suds-box now in use has drains which depend on a .seal between two pieces of woodor between a piece of wood and another block of wood having a rubber sheet packing. Strings. dirt, flock, etc. very often get into this seal and prevent its sealing properly. This invention is designed to eliminate all possibility of the seal being kept partly open in this way and thus preventing the contamination of the water in the tub.

This invention is applied'to the old style tub 10 which has means at 11 for spraying water against the numerous strands of fabric in rope form which pass through it. The rope of fabric with the goods sewed together at the ends in an endless strand passes numerous times around the machine in the same way that has been customary between the squeeze rolls 14 over the reel 13 down into the tub and back again thro h the ladder 12 in the usual way.

The suds-box l5 is-placed in the usual podtion but the ordinary seal which has previously been employed is entirely eliminated. In place ofthisv a ledge 16 is employed at, the bottom of the suds-box on one side. An opening above it is opened and closedby a tilting plate 17 pivoted at 18 and having at the bottom a felt or other soft strip 19. It is operated by a handle 24. It will be noted that the ledge 16 is inclined and the gate 1'1 is also inclined at the same angle when closed. When open, as shown in Fig. 2, it furnishes a free opening for the water to drain out into the tub but sediment is retained in the suds-box for the time being, as the ledge extends above its bottom. When closed this gate forms a tight seal and all water'squeezed out of the rolls at that time is carried into the sewer through the drains 20 which are provided with tilting ends 21 connected to the drains by a swivel joint 22. when these ends 21 are turned up, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, they do not discharge water but when turned down, as shown in full lines. all the water in the bottom of the suds-box is discharged into the sewer pipes 23;

The process of washing and rinsing is not materially diil'erent from the old process except for the elimination of waste of time andswater. The fabric to be secured is entered in the usual manner. Each piece or cut of fabric is sewed end to end, making an I endless piece consisting of from two to thirty-two pieces to be secured con: tinuously and at one time. As soon as the goods are located in the machine in this way they are introduced into the water and a soap or alkaline preparation introduced. 'lhe soap is introduced at a temperature of 100 to 1l0 F. The process is carried on until the dirt and other foreign matters have been suillciently l ned. There may be two or more of these soaping operations with rinsing operations between. 1

During the soaping operations the drains in the old style box, and gate 17 of this box, are left open so that the soapy water in the suds-box is allowed to drop directly into the tub of the machine which contains the balance of the fabric in the bottom.

During the rinsing operations these gates 17 are closed and clear fresh water at about 110 F. is introduced into the machine in the usual way and the water sprayed directly on the goods through the spraying pipe 11. As the goods pass through the nip of the rolls 14 this clear rinsing water is squeezed out of the fabric carrying with it the soap and the dirt which hasbeen loosened previously by the soaping operation. Water so squeezed out is caught by the suds-box and directed into the sewer in the present case through the drains 20 and 21.

It will be seen that in this case the turning of the ends 21 of the drains from the upward dotted line position in Fig. 3 to the downward position is all that is required to perform this draining operation and that these drains extend from the extreme bottom of the suds-box so that any sediment left in the drain boir is drained out.

It will be seen that the efficiency of the sudsbox determines the efliciency of the rinsing operation for unless this suds-box is designed to catch and hold a large percentage of the water squeezed out' by the rolls, and leakage prevented. the rinsing process will be lengthened as to time. In the old style suds-box probably fifty percent of the dirty water squeezed out dropped into the tub to contaminate the goods. In addition to be of a design to catch practically all of the water squeezed out of the goods at the nip, this invention comprises a suds-box which is absolutely non-leaking so that this loss is eliminated. There is no chance for strings to get into the seal and prevent its closure but they will be swept out by the passage of the water over the ledge. Also there is no chance for stoppage of the drains 2021 as they are free with no inside structure. In changing from upward to downward position no waste material is caught in it. Of course, when the machine is rinsing, the suds-box gate 17 is closed, forming a tight seal and all the water squeezed out is carried away through the tilting drains.

It will be seen therefore-that the suds-box is absolutely water-tight and the sliding drainseliminated. There are'no grates in the box to accumulate dust, strings, etc. There is an even distribution of soap on the goods during the soaping or scouring process. Soap comes from the rolls into the suds-box and is distributed on the cloth in an even manner. The rinsing of the goods is accomplishedin a very much quicker time than has been accomplished heretofore, thirty to forty percent of time being saved. Less soap is required and less water, both in the hot and cold state. This is owing to the fact that the goods are rinsed in less time than heretofore.

Although we have illustrated and described only one form of the invention we are aware of the fact that modification can be made therein by any person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore we do not wish to be limited in this respect but what we do claim is:

1. In a scouring machine, the combination with a tub through which the goods is passed in a continuous manner and a pair of squeeze rolls. of a suds-box under the squeeze mils having a low discharge side and a gate'pivoted at the side of the suds-box, enclosing the same on the low side to retain the liquid therein, and adapted to swing to open a free passage through which the water will be discharged from the bottom of the suds-box on that side into the tub.

2. In a cloth scouring machine adapted to receive therein an endless fabric in rope form, the combination with a tub for receiving the fabric and squeeze rolls for squeezing the water out of the various strands thereof, of a sudsbox under the squeeze mils, said suds-box hav ing a bottom with a ledge at one edge lower than the other sides of the suds-box, the side of the suds-box above said ledge having a gate pivoted 3. In a cloth scouring machine adapted to re' ceive therein an endless fabric in rope form, the combination with a tub for receiving the fabric and squeeze rolls for squeezing the water out of the various strands thereof, of a suds-box under the squeeze rolls, said suds-box having a bottom with a ledge at one edge lower than the other sides of the suds-box. the side of the suds-box above said ledge having a gate pivoted above it and opening inwardly from the ledge, said gate being movable inwardly to cause the water to move under the gate and up over the ledge in discharging from the suds-box into the tub, whereby any foreign particles will be swept over the ledge out of the way so as not to prevent the closing of the gate.

HOMER C. RIGGS.

WM. 0. PAISLEY. 

